densy

I never knew how much exercise would affect my emotional well-being!  I always hated it, despised the sweating (even though I knew I was burning fat), and wouldn’t put all of my effort into it.  I’m not sure if I really hated the exercise itself or if I really hated myself because I had gotten to the point where I couldn’t do it.  It was probably some of both.  Last year when I began this journey I decided to create a “habit” of exercising, doing it for 30 minutes every day for 40+ days (to varying degrees of intensity).  I had read that it takes 21 days to create a habit, so I decided to take it there and beyond.  There were those who thought I’d burn myself out by doing it daily for that long, but I actually just lit the fire!  After that period of time I realized that if I took more than a day off I missed the activity.  That was what I needed.  Granted, I’m not doing it each and every day now, but when I don’t exercise, I honestly miss it.  I miss the confidence boost I get when I can accomplish a particularly difficlt workout and I miss the energy burst I have for hours after working out.  One of my favorite movie quotes is from Legally Blonde, and it really sticks with me: “Exercising gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy.  Happy people just don’t kill their husbands!”  Funny as it is, I really think it’s true.  I deal with stress so much better than before.  Before, I ate to deal with it, now I work out.   It’s just amazing to me how exercising can have such a great effect on my body and spirit!